Accidental gunfire foils armed robbery attempt.

An attempt by a gang of armed robbers to break into a pharmacy shop at Tema Community 11 was foiled when one of them was shot in his palm by accident.

The alleged robber, who was breeding profusely, went to a private clinic for treatment that night, and was referred to the Tema General Hospital, but he refused to go.

The man, 33-year old mason, Seidu Musah Atipaga, appeared before the Tema Community Tribunal on charges of armed robbery. His plea was not taken and was remanded in custody for two weeks to help police in their investigations.

Chief Inspector Margaret Nunoo, prosecuting, told the tribunal, chaired by Capt. Philip Agbeyome that on November 21, 2001, police had a tip off that a man suspected to be an armed robber with gun shot wounds was receiving treatment at a private clinic at Ashaiman and this led to the arrest of Atipaga.

She said during interrogation, Atipaga told the police that the injury in his palm resulted from a motorbike accident at his hometown, Paga, in the Upper West Region.

The story was found to be concocted, when a nurse who treated him at the Ashaiman Urban Clinic was contacted. Atipaga later said that he got wounded when he was examining a locally manufactured pistol, belonging to a brother, when the gun accidentally fired.

Inspector Nunoo said investigations had so far revealed that, Atipaga and another person, now on the run, a month ago attacked Lexley Pharmacy shop at community 11, in the night.

It has been established that in the course of their operation, Atipaga's hand accidentally hit the muzzle of the pistol, then being handled by his accomplice, which fired through his left back palm and penetrated into the inner part of the palm.

She said, while bleeding profusely, Atipaga and his accomplice fled. The prosecution said Atigaba is a member of a gang of armed robbers who terrorised innocent citizens in Navrongo, Techiman, Kumasi, Accra and Tema in the early part of this year.

She therefore, pleaded with the court to remand him to help in other armed robbery investigations.